Abhor
/əbˈhɔːr/
verbC2
Definition
To abhor something means to hate it deeply and strongly. It is more than just dislike; it is a strong feeling of disgust or moral rejection toward a person, action, or thing.
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⚡ See It in Action
To feel very strong dislike or hatred for something because it is wrong or unpleasant
- •Many people abhor cruelty to animals.
- •She abhors dishonesty in any form.
- •He abhors violence and always tries to find peaceful solutions.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abhor" like "hate" (A1 word), but much stronger and often because something feels very wrong or bad inside you
- ✓Picture someone pulling away quickly from a bad smell or something dirty—they feel strong dislike and want to avoid it
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you see something unfair or cruel, and your heart feels upset and angry
- ✓Sounds like "ab-HOR" → imagine someone saying "Oh no, horror!" when they see something terrible they cannot accept
- ✓Think of stories where heroes abhor evil and fight against it because they cannot accept it in their world
- ✓NOT like "dislike" (mild feeling) but "abhor" is very strong and deep, almost like disgust or horror
- ✓NOT like "fear" (being scared) but "abhor" is about strong dislike and moral rejection, not just being afraid
- ✓NOT like "hate" used casually (like "I hate homework") but "abhor" is used for very serious and strong feelings
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Detest: to strongly dislike something (Use when you want a strong word for dislike, similar to abhor)
- •Loathe: to feel intense dislike or disgust (Use when you want to express disgust as well as dislike)
- •Hate: to feel strong dislike (Use in everyday situations, less formal and less intense than abhor)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Prefix "ab-" means "away from" or "off"
- •Root "hor" comes from Latin "horrēre," meaning "to shudder" or "to be afraid"
- •Origin: From Latin "abhorrēre," meaning to shrink back in horror or disgust
- •First used in English in the 15th century with the meaning of strong disgust or hatred
- •Today, it is used mostly in formal or serious contexts to express deep moral or emotional dislike
💭 Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of actions or behaviors do you think people commonly abhor in society?
•Can you think of a time when you felt more than just dislike but something close to abhor? What caused that feeling?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People abhor ___ like cruelty or unfair treatment because they feel it is morally wrong.
2.She abhors dishonesty and always tries to ___ it in her life.
3.Unlike simple dislike, to abhor something means you feel ___ and want to avoid it completely.
4.When someone says they abhor violence, it means they have a very ___ feeling against it.
5.You might abhor habits or ideas that go ___ your personal beliefs or values.
6.The word abhor is often used in ___ or serious talks about ethics and behavior.
7.If you only feel a small dislike, you would not say you ___ something; abhor is for very strong feelings.